Long Lost
by shmielthemanofsteel
Summary: Missing person case that affects one team member. Set after Shabbat Shalom and Shiva.
1. Chapter 1

Long Lost

Chapter 1

"Grab your gear." Gibbs said, walking into the squad room with his coffee.

"Should I call Ducky, boss?" Tony asked.

"No. Navy Commander's daughter was abducted."

The team quickly collected their gear and headed towards the elevator.

"My director says this case is in FBI jurisdiction, Gibbs." Fornell said outside the Commander's house. "I made sure I was on it so we could have a joint investigation. You can take lead, but my director wants credit."

Gibbs chuckled, "Of course he does." He turned to his team, "McGee, check the computers, cameras, anything with a battery, you check for something that'll help find her. DiNozzo, take Ziva and interview the family." The team dispersed. As they walked to the girl's room, Fornell asked," How's she holding up?"

"I don't know. I always stick her with Tony. He seems to help her mood." Gibbs said quietly.

"You're not worried that they're too close? She even smells like him."

She stays at his house some nights. But no, they're not together. I would know. She just needs a friend to lean on. Our team is all she's got."

They were interrupted by McGee. "Boss, I found something!" He called from downstairs.

"So should we get them all at once or separately?" Tony asked. When she didn't respond, he said, "Ok, all at once it is. Hey, you want to have dinner at my place tonight, Ziva?" She snapped back to reality, "Huh? Oh, yes…sure."

He turned to her, "Now, focus on this case. It'll keep your mind off…things." He guided her into the living room.

"Hello, I'm glad NCIS came so soon. I'm Commander Dan Keating, this is my wife, Chaplain Maggie Keating, and our son, Ben."

"Well, we're Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David. We just have a few questions to ask you."

"You have our full cooperation, sir." The Commander said.

"Ok, your daughter. Tell us everything- full name, birthday, all that stuff." Tony said.

"Emma Grace Keating, born March 26, 1998; fourteen. She is a foster child. Her mother just gave her to us when she was born." Said Maggie.

"You did not get her name?" Ziva asked.

"No. She used an alias for the forms- Kelly Thomas." She replied.

"And what's your story, Ben?" Tony asked.

"I wasn't adopted or anything, sir. This is my family. I am twenty and I go to the US Naval Academy near DC, sir." He responded.

"When was the last time you saw Emma?" Tony proceeded.

"She left at 05 to go running in Rock Creek Park. She was all about exercise and fitness, especially when she was nearing a sport season. She was gone for an hour, which was strange, and she wasn't answering her phone. Then we got a call saying they had Emma." Dan explained.

"You think this may be a ransom?" Ben asked.

"If it is, we'll be ready when they name their price. Thank you for your time Commander, Chaplain, PFC." Tony said.

"We'll keep in touch." Ziva said as they left.

"McGee, what did you find?" Gibbs asked.

"I was able to retrieve the call and sent it and all the stuff on Emma's computer to Abby. When we get back, I'll work on locating her phone. I'll also have to bring this." He gathered the missing girl's laptop.


	2. Chapter 2

"What d'you got, Abbs?" said the Marine as he strode into the lab.

"Well, Gibbs, I've got the Rock Creek Park surveillance videos. I'm fixing the image, but I'm pretty sure this camera captures her abduction." The scientist pointed to her screen.

"Nice work." Gibbs said as he handed her a Caf-Pow! and kissed her cheek.

"Wait! There's more," she said, pulling him back into the lab. "She had been sending encrypted emails back and forth with a mystery source. It could be her attacker."

The team stood around the plasma and shared Intel. "So, the Keating's are from Chicago but moved here over the summer because the enlisted ones were transferred to Norfolk." Ziva said.

"She seemed to handle the change fine. Became a freshman at a private school, St. James Academy. Joined cross country, swimming, and did mixed martial arts on the side. Took all advanced classes and had straight A's." Tony added.

"Smart girl" Said McGee.

"And athletic. This guy's gonna have a hard time keeping her under control." Gibbs said.

"Yeah, well I couldn't find any Kelly Thomas that matched the family's description." McGee continued.

"Have them see a sketch artist. Any leads?"

"We got nada, boss. We're still looking- mostly waiting for a ransom." Tony replied.

"I've got their phones wired so NCIS gets the call when and if it comes." Tim said.

"Tony, Ziver, her parents are in the conference room. Bring the sketch artist and ask follow up questions." Gibbs ordered.

Once the sketch was sent down to Abby, Tony and Ziva proceeded with the questions, "Did Emma carry anything with her on her run?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, she had her phone and the Nike Fuelband she got for Christmas. She never takes it off, miss." Commander Keating said.

"If she's wearing the band, then we should be able to trace it." She replied.

"Had she been struggling with the move at all?" Tony asked.

"She never expressed how upset she was, but I could tell she wasn't fond of it." The Chaplain explained.

"Well, that's it for now. Thanks for your help." Tony said. As he and Ziva were leaving, she got a call. "Abby found something" she said.

"So, the video can't be fixed. What I thought was pixilation was actually pigeon poop. But, McGee's in the other room working on the emails. And, I got a strange package today. It has hairs, blood, DNA samples, and a note." Abby said nervously.

"Well what'd the note say?" asked Tony as he crossed his arms.

"Just two words: Ziva David." Abby said solemnly.

"What are you waiting for?" Gibbs asked, "Run that DNA against Ziva's. It's Emma's."

"But Gibbs, I-" Ziva started.

"Run it anyway."


	3. Chapter 3

Tony walked into the break room and saw Ziva sitting there. "Hey, so I take it Abby's done with you." he said cheerfully. She nodded, but remained quiet. He sat next to her and said lowly, "Wanna tell me why that note had your name on it?"

She sighed, "Tony, I would if I knew. I never had any secret children and as far as I know, I don't have any relatives that age."

"Ok, well I think Abby and McGee have something. They're working fast today."

"I think this is a record for how many times in a day all of you have been down here!" Abby smiled.

"Yeah, what'd you find?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, McGee unencrypted the emails. This guy, who said his name was Max, started sending her emails saying he knew who her parents were. She tried getting him to stop but later played along."

"We're trying to trace the source of his emails now, boss. He might be our kidnapper." McGee put in.

"And the DNA test?" Gibbs pressed. As if on cue, one of Abby's machines dinged. She smiled and pulled up the results on her screen. "Right here! It is… a match. Kind of."

"What do you mean, kind of?" Ziva asked.

"It looks like you're closely related, just not her mom or sister. More like her aunt." Abby explained.

"So Emma's Ari's daughter?" Tony asked.

"Yes, probably." sighed the Israeli.

"And the sketch, Abby?" Gibbs said softly.

"I haven't even looked at it yet. It's over on the table."

Gibbs reached behind him and grabbed it. After looking at it for a while, he said, "You don't need to run it. We all know her." He handed it over and left, taking out his phone. When she answered, he said, "Dr. Cranston. You need to come to D.C."

"Agent Gibbs. I came as soon as I could. What do you need?" Rachel Cranston said as she walked into the squad room.

Gibbs looked up. Slowly, he said, "I want to know everything you know about her." He pointed to the picture of Emma on his desk.

"I don't know who this is."

He slammed his hand down on his desk. "Don't play dumb with me! You used an alias, Kelly Thomas' and handed her over to foster care. Now she's been abducted! Tell me what you know. Now."

The psychologist sighed, "She's my niece; Kate's daughter. Kate couldn't take care of her, since she was just starting with the Secret Service, so I found a family who was willing to take care of her. How long has she been missing?"

"Yesterday morning. My team and the FBI are trying to find her."

"Dr. Cranston." Tony frowned as he came in. "You came fast. You aren't hoping to shrink us again, are you?"

"So what is your connection?" Ziva, who had come in with Tony, cut in.

"Emma is Kate's daughter." She replied.

Once he had gotten over the initial shock, Tony said, "So that explains why she hesitated to stab Ari and why he was so obsessed with her."

"What?" asked a confused Dr. Cranston.

"Ari's Emma's father." Gibbs explained.

McGee ran into the squad room. "Abby and I found where she is and we found proof that it was more than just one captor. FBI's gonna meet us there, boss." He huffed.

"Grab your gear." Gibbs said.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a warehouse along the Anacostia, and when NCIS got there, FBI had their team positioned and at the ready.

"Tobias, got a visual?" Gibbs asked, unholstering his SIG.

"Not exactly. We didn't see the girl, but we spotted some movement in a room in back. We've found four other rooms that she could be in. We have visual in the main warehouse, though. She's not there, but there are guards walking around and there're crates full of weapons and ammunitions."

"What's the plan?"

"Flash-bang and ambush the five rooms at once, then from there move to the main room."

"McGee, room five. DiNozzo, room three. David, with him." The team dispersed. Once everyone was in position, Gibbs gave the signal to start the ambush. After that it was all a blur. Shots were fired, people were yelling, and nobody could see anything thanks to the flash-bangs. Once the fog cleared, Gibbs saw Emma tied to a chair. He quickly cuffed the leftover dirtbags then rushed to her. He untied her and quickly looked her over for injury and saw blood coming from a wound on the side of her head. He called for an ambulance, picked her up, and carried her out of the building.

McGee walked into the hospital waiting room, "Boss, we have five guys in custody, four are dead. There were twelve, according to one of them, so that leaves three unaccounted for. We have every resource looking for them now."

"We know their motive?" Gibbs asked.

"No, but I'm suspecting terrorism. Maybe it was Hamas, thinking Ari snitched on them to Mossad and are taking it out on his daughter?"

"Yeah, seems like our best guess right now."

"How is she?"

"Before we stormed the place, one of them hit her with a gun. Needed six stitches but only has a mild concussion. Ziva, the Keatings, and Dr. Cranston are with a social worker trying to sort everything out."

"Ziva wants custody?"

"I don't know. It's just standard procedure when family turns up."

"I think she should." Tony said from behind them.

"She just buried her father. She's still mourning. How do you expect her to support a kid?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't know. I was thinking…Emma could support her. I mean, Ziva needs family other than us and people say there's no greater joy then children."

"They say the same thing about dogs."

A door opened and Ziva and the others filed out. Dr. Cranston got on her phone, the Keating's sat aside to talk it over, and Ziva walked over to them.

"So, how'd it go?" Tony asked cheerfully.

"They are giving me the option of custody over her. Her foster family wants her to be with actual family, and I'm the only one in the DC area."

"Ok. So what do _you_ want?" Gibbs said.

She sighed, "Honestly, I do not know. A part of me says I should, but another part of me says no- I mean, how can I… I wouldn't know what to do."

"Ziva, she's fourteen. She can tell you what she needs unlike a baby and you just have to keep her out of trouble." Tony said.

"But she is injured and just went through a very traumatic event. She is going to need me more, and I have to work."

"Take a vacation, then." Gibbs said. "I doubt this is the first time you've had to take care of a teenage girl."

It was silent when Gibbs brought up Tali. Ziva thought everything over, and Tony interrupted her thoughts. "Besides, you won't be doing this alone. Especially after Abby meets her. You have all of us for backup- you're not alone."

After another minute or so, she finally spoke. "Ok. She will stay with me. I will have to get a bigger apartment soon, though."

"Why don't you both stay with me for now? I've got plenty of room, and my house is closer to her school." Gibbs said. She paused. Did she really want to live with her boss? He was Gibbs and that was different, but still, did she want that?

"Uh…ok…" She said automatically.

"Now, go home and get some rest. Emma's sedated until tomorrow." He told her. Once she was gone, he turned to Tony and McGee. "Same goes for you two. It's gonna be a long week."

"And you, boss?" Tim asked.

"I have to clean up my house. It's been a while since I've had two girls living with me."


	5. Chapter 5

Tony was just about to start a box of pizza when the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Ziva standing there. "I was wondering if you would come today."

"Well you can't eat that whole pizza by yourself." she said

"I'm sure I could, but it never hurt to share." He countered as he let her in.

Halfway through the pizza, Tony spoke up, "So how do you feel about living with Gibbs?"

"It's going to be…interesting."

"I think it's gonna be a bit more than interesting." Tony laughed. "Do you know when she gets released from the hospital?"

"No, they said they would wait and see how she's doing in the morning."

"From what I've read in her file, you two will get along great."

Ziva was quiet for a minute, and softly, she then said, "I just hope that this time she isn't taken away…"

Her partner sighed, "I think it'll all work out now. We've got the majority of the terrorists in custody."

"That is not what I meant."

Tony understood. Emma was nearly fifteen, a year younger than Tali when she died at the hand of terrorists. "Well, you'll be at Gibbs's house. Even though he doesn't lock his door, his house is the safest place in the world."

"Except what if… what if she hates me because I killed her father?"

He let those words sink in. "It was you? Gibbs didn't shoot Ari?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "No. I shot my brother."

"God, Ziva… if I'd have known…I'm so sorry-"

"Don't be. Ari killed Kate and would have eventually killed you." She laughed, "It is going to be fun explaining to Emma how her parents died."

"Well, she's old enough that she might understand it better. I have half a tub of ice cream with your name on it and we could pop open this movie I've wanted to see." Tony said to change the subject.

Gibbs stood in the doorway of his daughter's room. He hadn't been there in a while and dust was starting to collect. The walls were faded and everything looked old and like it wasn't used in years, which was true. He picked up the box next to him and started to put Kelly's toys in it. He would never forget his little girl, but it was time he moved on. Hours later, the room was clean, empty, and there was a fresh coat of spring green paint on the walls- the same color as Emma's old room. He would put the furniture in tomorrow, but now it was time to get some sleep. Before he went downstairs, he checked the spare bedroom that he had set up for Ziva. As soon as he'd gotten back from the hospital, he'd set about getting his house in order. Gibbs stocked his fridge and cabinets with food, bought extra towels, toothpaste, and other basic toiletries for the bathroom, and put his weapons and tools away in a safe place. He'd even cleaned out his fireplace and cleaned up the garden in back. Now that it was all done, he was ready for Ziva and Emma to come stay with him.


	6. Chapter 6

Ziva stood and started pacing around the hospital waiting room for the third time that morning. "You're making me nervous when you pace." Tony said, agitated because he was trying to concentrate on the game he was playing on his phone.

"They said that she should wake up between 06 and noon. It is already past 11." An agitated Ziva replied.

"You already sound like a fretful parent/ guardian." He teased. Right then, the doctor came out. "She's starting to wake up. You can come in now." Tony stayed as Ziva walked in. she had only seen her pictures at a glance, so this was really the first time she saw her niece. Emma looked like she was almost her height, and Ziva could tell that she would be tall like Ari. Her hair was curly like Ari's when it was long, and she had a nose similar to his. Her eyelids flickered as she tried to fight off the sedatives. Within a few minutes, she was awake, though still groggy. Ziva had taken a seat in the chair next to the bed. Emma turned her head to look at her. After some time of staring, she croaked out, "Hi. Uh…who are you?"

"I am Ziva David, your aunt."

"Aunt?"

"Yes, I will have to explain later when you're more awake."

"Where are my parents? Where's my brother?"

"Do you know where you are?" Ziva asked.

"The hospital? Because I got hit in the head… and this old guy carried me out…then there were bright lights- an ambulance- and they knocked me out. Right?" the girl replied.

"Yes. You remembered all that? Most people block out traumatic experiences like that."

"Yeah…"

Tony knocked on the open door. "Gibbs is here- can he come in?"

"Who's Gibbs?"

"The old guy who carried you out of the warehouse." Gibbs said as he waked in. He looked at Emma and instantly saw Kate- the same hazel eyes, same jawline, same expression of shock and embarrassment. But then she recovered and smirked, and she reminded him of Ari. "Oh. That guy." She said casually.

"Yeah, if you're up to it, we have some questions to ask."

"Gibbs, she just woke up. I'm-" Ziva started.

"I'm fine." Emma interrupted.

"Ok, let's go back to two days ago. Take us through your day." Gibbs said.

"I got up around 04:30, had a bowl of cereal, then went for a run. I usually do eight miles, and that takes me around fifty minutes, but it depends on the day. I was at around six miles when I tripped and a sack was put over my head and I was put in the back of a van. They were speaking in French, but they were Middle Eastern."

"You know this how?"

"I speak French. They were talking about their orders. These guys were just hired guns. They kept talking on the phone to this guy- their boss. I forgot his name, but he wasn't at the warehouse. They kept talking about The Plan. I don't know what they meant."

"And that's all?" Gibbs asked.

"They kept me locked in an office until you guys came. I gave one a plack eye and punched one guy's tooth out, so they had to keep me tied down." She finished. There was a knock at the door; the social worker needed Ziva in her office.

"DiNozzo, go back to the Navy Yard. You and McGee interview the en we have in custody." Gibbs ordered.

"On it, boss." He said, and left. Emma shifted so she was lying on her back with one hand under her head. Gibbs had taken Ziva's seat and they stared at each other. "I know. It was stupid to answer those emails." She said finally.

"They would have kidnapped you anyway."

She sighed, "Yeah, I guess."

"This is like déjà vu." Gibbs started. "This exact same thing happened between your mom and I on the first day we met, except we were on Air Force One and we were talking about… something else."

"You knew my mom and flew on Air Force One?" she inquired.

"Yeah, Kate Todd, a Secret Service agent. I work for NCIS, and the Naval officer carrying the football died. I didn't get there until after the president left, so I actually flew on Alpha Foxtrot…some numbers. But this was back when Bush was at the end of his first term."

"Did you know my dad, too?"

"Not personally. Both of your parents died in 2005."

"How long did you know my mom?" she persisted.

"Nearly two years. That's it for questions today. You need rest. Your family will be coming in soon."


	7. Chapter 7

Tim watched from Observation as Tony prepared to break the first man. "So let's start with names!" He said with mock cheerfulness. "I'm Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. My friends call me Tony. You can call me Very Special Agent DiNozzo."

Silence. Tony encouraged him, "Now it's your turn. Speak."

The kidnapper stared deadpan, clearly unimpressed, and yawned. "Look." Tony said, patience waning, "You're going to Gitmo regardless, but if you cooperate, I might get you into the nicer cells that have TiVo."

He sighed, "I am Judas Cohen. My friends call me Judas. You can call me Mr. Cohen."

Tony paused, then laughed dryly. "Ha. Funny guy…" He turned and tapped on the glass behind him "You heating this, Probie? We've got a funny guy here." The Italian turned back to the man in custody. "Except, _Judas_, you don't set the rules here. I do. So drop the attitude and cooperate. We have an excellent forensic analysis here, and I could always get her to make it look like you planted a bomb in the White House. That'll get you life in Isolation at Camp Delta. Oh, I forgot. You'll never see Guantanamo Bay! Our friends at Mossad are gonna come and take you back to Tel Aviv, and there's no telling what they'll do there! So you can either tell me your story now or you can tell it later in Israel. But, y'know, your choice."

From the other side of the glass, McGee could tell that his partner was pleased with himself. "Don't get too cocky, DiNozzo." He said under his breath, even though he knew that Judas was already about to hang himself.

"I work for Mossad. They will not hurt one of their own-" Tony scoffed. "I was simply following orders."

"No, no, no. Let's try this again: who do you work for?" Tony probed.

"Ian Bodnar."

"Great! Now we can ship you all off for aiding in the death of the director of Mossad, Eli David", he ticked off his fingers, "our director's wife, Jackie Vance, and Iranian Intelligence officer Arash Kazmi. Talk about two birds one stone- oh I forgot, you Israelis aren't so great with the idioms. Long story short, I don't need any other confessions. Thanks, Judas! You're as helpful to us as you were to the Romans! Well, now you're gonna go back to Israel for probable torture, almost inevitably followed by your painful death for treason, terrorism, espionage, and accessory in the murder of two government officials." Tony then proceeded to lay out the pictures of the deceased. He sighed and propped a hand under his chin. "Now, tell me…why. Tell me why you wanted them dead, why your boss wanted them dead, why it had to end this way. These two, Eli and Arash, were trying to create peace between Israel and Iran. Jackie didn't have anything to do with this." He paused and undetectably swallowed back tears. "Eli was here to visit his daughter, the only family he had left-who's also my partner- by ending his career by beginning an age of peace between two long- time enemies. Arash died right after he got off the phone with his family back home. Jackie has two children back home who just want her back. Her house is all shot up and she wasn't even involved. Why did you have to hurt so many people, only to benefit you?" He finished and waited for a response, a reaction. Judas leaned forward and spit on the pictures, then leaned back in his seat and smirked spitefully. It took all of Tony's willpower to not knock out that guy's lights right then and there. Instead he stood, smoothed his suit, gathered the photos, and walked to the exit. He turned in the doorway and addressed the perpetrator.

"I pity your lack of remorse for your actions. Burn in hell, you insolent bastard." With that, he left. McGee met him in the hall. "Call in the Israeli's, Tim.

"Where're you going?" he shouted after his partner.

"Out of here." Tony said with finality.

Once he was off the Navy Yard, Tony dialed the number. "Gibbs, we got them. Liat and Malachi should be leaving Israel by now. I don't think the goons we have know where their boss is, though."

"Nice work, DiNozzo,"

Tony sighed, "I don't know, boss. When I showed the guy the pictures, he didn't show any regret. He was proud of the carnage. It pissed me off."

"I know. I'll take it from here. You take over at the hospital."

"How's Ziva doing with all that legal stuff?"

"Come and see for yourself."


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for not updating in so long... if you've stuck with this story, thanks. I promise I'll get the whole story posted before season 10 ends!**

* * *

"Hey, Timmy! What're you doing down here?" Abby asked cheerfully as the agent entered her lab.

"I saw… something." Tim mumbled.

"Like what? Gibbs flirting? That'd be really strange and awkward, like when-"

"No, Abby. It was Tony. This whole ordeal is really wearing on him."

"Wait, you saw Tony flirting? With who?"

"No, no one was flirting. It's this whole Bodnar thing that's getting to him."

"It'll pass soon. Don't worry, Tony's a rock."

"You weren't there, Abs. He started normally with the jokes and mockery, but then… I don't know…I guess something in him broke, so to speak. He changed."

"Strange…" Abby said. Silence followed for several seconds before McGee spoke up.

"So did you hit a break in the case?"

"Nope. I wasn't really expecting to find any forensic evidence, seeing as these guys are experts, but I might've found where Bodnar is!"

"Really? Abby, that's great!"

"Wanna know how?" she asked mischievously.

"Uh… sure?"

Abby smiled,"I hacked the CIA."

"What? How?" the agent was surprised.

"You're not the only one who knows how to hack them! It wasn't even that hard, all I had to do was-"

"I'd love to hear how, but I really don't think now is the time."

"Right. Well, they've been watching him. He's been hanging out in Europe. He was last seen in Rome and I found the alias he was using and he might still be there!"

"Great! I've gotta tell Gibbs." Tim was about to dial his boss's number when Abby grabbed his phone.

"No! He's with Ziva right now! Wait till he comes back or something."

"Why can't Ziva know?"

Abby sighed, as if it weren't obvious enough. She started slowly, "Bodnar killed Ziva's dad. Ziva will take our information and then go seek revenge. Do you want that to happen?"

"No…?"

"Oh my God, McGee! If Ziva does that, she could go to jail- or worse, die! She has a kid to take care of now, she doesn't have time to get caught up in that."

"Come, on, Abby. Ziva knows better than that."

"She's gone rogue before. I don't wanna take the chance."

"Alright," he sighed, "who should I call?"

"Nobody- wait, no- call Tony. Tell him what I said. He'll know what to do."

"But isn't he with Ziva, too?"

"Not yet, he just left."

"Right. See you later, Abs." McGee placed a Caf- Pow! in front of her and kissed her cheek before walking out.


	9. Chapter 9

The hospital corridor was dark except for the light emanating from the room at the end- Emma's room. Tony walked in to see it packed with people. He quickly put on a smile. "Hey, if I'd known there was going to be a party, I would have dressed nicer!"

Ziva smirked, "Tony, you're wearing an Armani suit and Italian shoes. You've outdressed all of us."

He chuckled, changing the subject. "How much longer, kid?"

"Tomorrow…"Emma replied glumly.

"You don't sound so excited."

"They're not releasing me until I've had two more hospital meals." Emma made a face, causing Tony to chuckle.

"Where are you going when you're released?" he asked.

"She'll come with us to get her things. Then she'll go with Ziva." Dan replied.

"Oh, so you've sorted all that out."

"Yes. We decided it'd be best for her to live with a blood relative." Maggie said.

"But I can visit them whenever." Emma added.

"Awesome! And you, Dr. Cranston?"

"I can visit occasionally, but I live in Miami, Tony." She replied. "But my parents and brothers are coming down from Indiana in a couple of weeks."

"Yes, well, we ought to get going." The Keating's excused themselves and Dr. Cranston followed.

"How did interrogation go?" Ziva asked once they were out.

"I got a confession. Sort of. Our two favorite Mossad officers are flying in to get him." Tony sighed.

"Wait, why's Mossad in on this?" Emma, who obviously hadn't been briefed, wondered.

"They took you as a distraction so that we couldn't get their boss." Ziva said plainly.

"Terrorists?"

"In a way. They were trying to prevent peace between Israel and Iran."

"But then… why's NCIS involved?" Silence fell after Emma's words, until Gibbs explained.

"The guy in charge, Bodnar, ordered someone to kill Eli, who was here in D.C. In the process, he killed NCIS Director Leon Vance's wife, Jackie. Then he blew up an Iranian, Arash Kazmi. Bodnar was Mossad's deputy director. All agencies in Israel, Iran, and the US are looking for him."

"That explains" the girl yawned.

"Get some sleep. We'll be back in the morning." Ziva said softly.

"DiNozzo, stay here and keep an eye on her." The silver haired man ordered.

"Got it, boss."

After Gibbs and Ziva were gone, Emma sat up. "Is Eli David related to Ziva?"

"Yeah. He's her dad."

"Woah, really?"

"Yeah, she got back from Israel last week."

"So she's not usually that quiet and withdrawn."

"No, she was a lot lighter before this whole thing started."

"I could tell. I've always been good at reading people." Emma sighed.

Tony smiled, "So was your mom…"

At lunch, McGee walked into the hospital room to see Tony and Emma talking. "Oh hey, McGee! I was just warning Emma about Gibbs's house!"

"Does he really build boats in his basement?" Emma was skeptic.

"Yeah, but not recently. Just don't mess with anything in the basement." Tim replied. The nurse walked in with a tray of what might have been soup, but no one was quite sure. After she left, Emma said, "That nurse was pretty. Right, Tony?"

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Well, you just seem like someone who'd fawn over someone with a face and…figure like hers." She smiled.

"Oh. I hadn't noticed." Tony replied, trying to sound casual.

"Or someone else is on your mind." Emma smirked, and so did McGee.

Tony was about to flounder out of this situation when Ziva walked in and saved him the trouble. "Just finish up your lunch and we are out of here, Emma!"

"Finally!" the girl exclaimed as she scarfed down the questionable food.


	10. Chapter 10

Soon enough, Emma was out of that hospital and out on the street. "How I love the terrible D.C. air!" she dramatized, making the three Muskateers laugh.

"We'll meet you at the Keatings's place." Tony smiled as he and McGee got in his car.

"Everything's already boxed up, we just need to go get it." Ziva explained as her and her niece got into the Mini.

The drive from the old house to the new was long and uneventful. Emma watched as they pulled up in front of Gibbs's house. "Gibbs lives _here_?"

"Yes, he used to live here with his wife and daughter, but now it's just him."

"So inside's probably gonna look like a hermit's place."

Ziva chuckled, "No, not quite. Gibbs is…full of many surprises."

Ziva was right, Gibbs was full of surprises. Her boss's house was more spotless than she had ever seen it before and the couch was freshly cleaned, leaving no evidence that he had been sleeping on it. The clutter that usually filled the fireplace mantel was neatly organized and everything was put in order. It looked like everything had been scrubbed and polished. It took Ziva aback for a moment before she proceeded to get some boxes they had brought along.

Soon the contents of Ziva's car were piled up in the front room. "Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"Right here, boss!" the man in question replied as he walked through the front door. "Sorry, we stopped at Beltway Burgers along the way."

"Tony, don't stand in the doorway- I'm carrying a heavy box!" McGee's voice came from behind him.

Once all the boxes were unpacked from the vehicles, it came time for them to be put away. The three new housemates stood at the bottom of the stairs bearing boxes. "Well, David, you gonna go upstairs or what?" The silver- haired man asked

She stepped aside to let her boss lead the way. He stood next to the first door and encouraged Emma to go in.

She let out a soft "woah" when she saw the room. It was the same color as her old room and it was filled with new furniture.

"Isn't this Kelly's room?" Ziva whispered.

"Was." Her boss corrected." Your room's down the hall."

After putting everything away, the group feasted on the Beltway Burgers that Tony and McGee brought.

"So when does school start?" Tony quipped.

"Next week." Ziva smiled, causing Emma to groan. "And mandatory therapy sessions start tomorrow."

"Awesome. And if I ditch?" her niece asked flatly.

"Then you get pulled out of all extracurricular activities." Gibbs responded, smirking.

"What 'extracurricular activities' could you be doing?" Tony wondered.

"Lacrosse, softball, kickboxing-"

"That'd be featherweight, right?" the agent teased.

The back-and-forth joking between Tony and Emma continued for a while, but Gibbs soon ended all the fun.

"DiNozzo, it's late and you have work tomorrow. It's about time all of us turned in for the night."

* * *

**Next chapter, we get a basement scene.**

**In chapters to come, Abby will be up to something ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

"Where's the boat?" Emma asked as she walked down the stairs of the basement.

"Not building one now. You should be asleep." He responded plainly.

She sighed, "Can't sleep. So what are you building now?"

"Not sure yet. You gonna ask how I got the boat out?"

"Nope. You might just tell me, and I don't want the mystery of it to be gone. And everyone told me that you'd never tell, anyway."

Gibbs laughed, "Yeah, what else has my team told you?"

"Uh, don't mess with your coffee, you've been married four times, and you have your own rules. Oh, and you're a Marine. But I could already tell, even though your hair's kinda long!" She chuckled.

"Did you come down here just to judge the length of my hair?"

Emma thought for a moment. She _did_ want to change the subject- her mind was far from this small talk. "So, my mom was on your team for almost two years…" She waited for Gibbs to tell her more.

"Yeah. She resigned from the Secret Service, so I gave her an open spot on my team. This was way back when it was just DiNozzo and I."

"Why did she resign? Secret Service is a pretty sweet deal."

"She was romantically involved with a coworker and Secret Service has rules against that."

"What was she like?"

"Headstrong, smart, stubborn. Liked to prove herself, especially to men. A feminist, super anti- sexism, a great profiler, and an artist." He opened a drawer and pulled out a sketch pad. "This was hers."

He handed it over. Emma held it as if it were made of god, or the most delicate China. She looked over every sketch carefully, absorbing every pencil stroke her mother had made.

"You should keep it." Gibbs urged.

"No, this is yours. Aunt Rachel gave me my mom's necklace. Now, you said you've met my dad, too?" she prompted.

He'd seen this coming. The older man looked at where she was standing- the exact spot where Ari had been killed. After tipping back some bourbon, he carefully started to explain. "It's complicated. Everyone else is gonna try and avoid this subject, but you've got a right to know. Ari Haswari, your father, was Ziva's half-brother. Their dad raised him to be a mole for Mossad in Hamas and Al Qaeda. It backfired, and Ari became a terrorist full time. He infiltrated NCIS, shot Ducky's assistant and held them and your mom hostage. I went in and he shot my shoulder. I… was out for his blood. A year later, we were trying to stop one of his attacks and…" He paused, wondering how he should carry on. So he continued. "We were on a rooftop, and he shot… he shot Kate in the forehead from a nearby rooftop."

Gibbs waited as a series of expressions crossed Emma's face. Finally, she asked the million dollar question. "What did you do?"

"I lured him into my house and-"

"I shot him from right here." Ziva interrupted from the top of the stairs.

"He was standing right where you are." Gibbs closed.

Emma stared at the ground beneath her feet for several minutes, taking it all in. As she started to walk to the stairs, she shakily said, "I-I think I'm g-gonna turn in now…"

Once she was out of earshot, Ziva rushed by Gibbs. "Is she mad?"

He turned to her. "Ziva, since when have you been so insecure?"

"Gibbs, this is completely out of my element. I do not know how to care for a child!"

"She's not a child."

"Exactly, she's a teenage girl, which is worse. She is old enough to think on her own and with teenagers, you never know how they will react."

"I thought you had to take care of your sister?"

"It was- it was not the same. Tali…was my sister. We were closer in age and we knew each other well. But with Emma, I barely know her. Her situation is far from normal. Her mother was killed by her father who was killed by his sister! Do you hear how crazy that sounds?"

"That's your common ground. You know how to get to through tough times, an she needs someone like that right now."

"Yes, she needs her father's murderer to help her out!" Ziva almost shouted, eyes tearing up.

"Ziver, you did not murder Ari."

"Oh, what would you call it, then?"

"I wouldn't call it anything. Ari would have died no matter what. Nothing you could have done, it would've just been done by someone else's hand. You said so yourself, you did it to protect him. All you can do now is help his daughter see him how you saw him, not how the rest of us did."


End file.
